Feb 3, 2009

A big story going around the Internet is about apple juice and Alzheimer's disease.

Thomas B. Shea, PhD, of the Center for Cellular Neurobiology; Neurodegeneration Research University of Massachusetts, Lowell and his research team have carried out a number of laboratory studies demonstrating that drinking apple juice helped mice perform better than normal in maze trials, and prevented the decline in performance that was otherwise observed as these mice aged.

Researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Washington following nearly 2,000 adults for 10 years found drinking fruit or vegetable juice more than three times a week cuts the risk of developing Alzheimer's by 76 percent compared to drinking it less than once a week. They found having juice once or twice a week reduced risk by 16 percent.

As you can see, this study was conducted with humans over a ten year period.

Drinking fruit or vegetable juice may be better for you than you think.
A research study shows that drinking fruit or vegetable juice may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Washington following nearly 2,000 adults for 10 years found drinking fruit or vegetable juice more than three times a week cuts the risk of developing Alzheimer's by 76 percent compared to drinking it less than once a week. They found having juice once or twice a week reduced risk by 16 percent.

Highlights from the study include:

"The theory is that the brain accumulates damage due to oxidation as we age, and if you can protect the brain from that damage you can protect the person from Alzheimer's disease and other causes of dementia," said Eric Larson, MD.

Researchers saw the protective benefits from any type of juice. The study also found there are more antioxidants in juice than in vitamin C and E supplements.

According to Dr. Larson, juice is made using parts of the fruit with the highest concentration of natural antioxidants. "The theory is the brain accumulates damage due to oxidation as we age and if you can protect the brain from that damage, you can protect the person from Alzheimer's disease and other causes of dementia," he said.

In most cases, juice is produced using the core, the seeds and the skin-- parts of the fruit or vegetable people do not normally consume. The food is mashed together to create a concentrate. Juice is made in cold process, so nutrients aren't damaged by heat. Juice will usually have a defined level of purity based on percentage of fruit juice. Juice should not be confused with squash, which is usually an artificial juice that can be diluted with water.

In theory, grape, apple and orange juices are very potent in antioxidants and could be the most effective at preventing Alzheimer's disease, according to Dr. Larson. In the study, those who did not drink fruit juice, but ate several servings of fruit per week, saw some benefit. However, those who drank juice saw the most benefit.

Study participants who drank juice once or twice a week reduced their Alzheimer's risk by 16 percent. Those who drank juice three times per week reduced their risk by 76 percent. Before you drink 10 glasses of orange juice each day, be aware there may be threshold for antioxidant consumption. Going above that amount may not necessarily bring benefits.

+Bob DeMarco is the Founder of the Alzheimer's Reading Room (ARR). Bob is a recognized expert, writer, speaker, and influencer in the Alzheimer's and Dementia Community worldwide. The ARR Knowledge Base contains more than 4,000 articles. Bob lives in Delray Beach, FL.

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